Computer as a form of education

At the present stage of educational task, is imperative to improve the efficacy of the existing means, methods, and forms of work, as well as finding new and more efficient ones.   With the onset of modern technology, the chore is to gradually implement the content being adapted to different age groups, levels, and forms of education in preschool institutions.

Keeping in mind the preschool program should create the conditions for the use of computers in their work with children in relation to a specified age with proper planning and delivery of educational activities.

In preschool, primary education is organized through games, which encourage the development of the potential of the children preparing them for school, as well as life in general, and in addition to that computers should have a place in their playing and learning.

According to the study, it reveals that at the age of three years and 7 months, children are already able to learn to independently use a computer, while an early two-year-old can “handle a computer mouse.” 

The use of computers in the preschool period is associated with the cognitive and social development of children.  Children who have access to a computer perform better in preparation and are in the process of developing concepts and ideas. 

Computer access in preschool institutions helps children to overcome the differences that result from not having access to it at home and gives them a fair chance to participate in the group activities and closes the hesitation gap with and without a computer.

During the initiation of computers among children, it should be realized that children under three years of age are characterized by specific physical, perceptual, and sensory cognition of their body and the world around them. They only experience the world mainly through their senses – eyesight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch.  However, the information technology in this age group is not significant and it does not represent the real needs of a child.

Nonetheless, after the age of three, children can learn how to independently use a computer. Thus, the implementation of information technology in educational work satisfies their needs and interests.

There has been a lot of views expressed and observations that too much time at a computer, can become isolated and deprived of social relationships that are necessary for their overall development.  The most common issues raised in relation to computer use are:

• Health threats
• Possible addiction
• Changes in child’s interests
• Threat to the acquisition of basic operational skills [preschool and school],
• Threatens the computer preschool teacher and teachers
• Decreased socialization and possible dehumanization of the educational process
• Threat to the preschool teachers and their role
• Empirical evidence of better and deeper learning
• Learning to think by using a computer
• Influence on the difference gap between the school children

There are certain assumptions of parents about the possible negative and positive consequences of the use of computers by children in preschool. Parents are most concerned with the four negative consequences:

• Deviation from the classes and school activities
• Danger to physical health
• Encouraging children to aggressive behaviour and
• Fear that children who use a computer forget the basic skills such as writing and arithmetic

As for the positive outcomes of computer use, parents most often mention:

• English language competences
• Development of concentration and- speed of observations in children
• Reinforcement of curiosity
• Promotion of sociability and readiness for co-operation

However, a lot of parents have raised eyebrows, despite that computer education is becoming as important as basic literacy.  While computer should inculcate as a form of the educational system, there are many other reasons that make its application in educational work with children difficult :

• Non-functional space in which educational activities with children are carried out
• Insufficient number of modern teaching aids
• Reluctance to give up old habits, as well as fear of new challenges and demands, hence the hesitation in more active implementation of the proclaimed goals and tasks
• a large number of children in the group
• Insufficient training of educators in the field of IT technologies
• To give computer literacy among the preschool children required a specific training program for preschool educators which is delivered through IT:
• Basic computer skills
• Specific IT skills that are important for working with children
• Basic theoretical knowledge about the possibilities of IT application in working with children, as well as the specific areas of child development it can promote

It is assumed that preschool educators believe that computers have a positive impact in working with preschool children.  Therefore, it is necessary to possess sufficient competence to use personal computers in their work with children of preschool age.  It will be added advantage if they acquired most of their digital skills and competencies through various forms of informal education on their own.

Furthermore, it is very important for teachers in preschool institutions to recognize the importance of continuous monitoring on the development and learning of children and always look for better and more efficient ways to nurture and enrich the experiences that children inevitably acquire in our information society.

With the rapid scientific and technological development, a computer has become a part of all aspects of life: economy, education, free time and family.  In contemporary society since children acquire knowledge before school age, the question is how to prepare them for the world in which we live. 

Perceptibly, a computer is an extremely important and useful tool if properly implemented, significantly contributes to the development of children skills and advancement of educational work.